The following disclosure relates generally to communications systems and, more particularly, to maximizing throughput in a telecommunications system.
Telecommunications systems, such as code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, may face a variety of constraints that limit the throughput of the system while servicing requests. The constraints may include resource limitations such as a maximum amount of available power or a maximum available bit rate. For example, a bit rate used to service a request may require a certain amount of power. However, even if the required amount of power is available, assigning the power to the request may result in an inadequate amount of power for other requests. Furthermore, operation at high power levels may create interference that adversely affects the system as a whole.
In addition, assigning a maximum available bit rate to a request may result in wasted power and throughput opportunities during “idle times” (e.g., when no transmission is occurring). This may be particularly undesirable when the requests are for data burst transmissions, which tend to need relatively high bit rates and amounts of power for a brief period of time. However, due to the underlying network structure and other factors, the bit rate and the required power may be selected for the communication session without regard to maximizing the throughput based on the system's resource levels.
Current approaches for maximizing throughput are inadequate for a variety of reasons. For example, in some approaches, the network may include contention based algorithms that provide a relatively low to moderate level of throughput due to idle time wasted during the contention process. Other approaches may use burst allocation algorithms that implement a first-come first-served or a round robin methodology, both of which may lack efficiency and versatility. In addition, the network itself may be based on a CDMA derivative such as High Data Rate (HDR), which relies on multiplexing data users over a single channel.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for maximizing the throughput of a telecommunications system by selecting a bit rate for a request based on a current level of system resources.